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For the longest time, hobgoblins were considered a larger, more capable foe than your typical goblinoid. But thenDungeons & Dragons5E flipped the script for hobgoblins, turning them into a potential ally. With a militant fey background (an odd combination for anyone with fey ancestry), hobgoblins make ideal foot soldiers and the perfect companion to round out an adventuring party.
Related:Dungeons & Dragons: How To Run A Hexcrawl
If you want to give a little to get a little, hobgoblins are the ideal species to make your next D&D character. Read on to learn more about the hobgoblin’s past, abilities, and what classes make the best hobgoblin characters.
We’re using the hobgoblin info found inMordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse.
History of The Hobgoblins
Like the bugbears, hobgoblins werebrought to the Material Plane by the conquering god Maglubiyet, who used hobgoblins as his rank-and-file soldiers. And just like the bugbears, hobgoblins soon fell out of favor with Maglubiyet as they adjusted to their new lives on the Material Planr, but they never entirely forgot their fey ancestry.
Hobgoblins still strictly adhere to the Feywild’s rule of reciprocity, which has led them to form tight-knit communities. The magic that governs this rule also flows through the hobgoblins to this day, instilling a mystical bond between the giver and receiver of gifts.
Hobgoblins are muchlarger than goblins, but not as large as bugbears. They’retypically red-skinnedwith long, pointed ears, although that skin can turn blue depending on their emotions.
Hobgoblins aremedium-sized creaturesconsideredhumanoidandgoblinoidfor any prerequisites or spell effects. They have a walking speed of30 feet. Upon choosing the hobgoblin for your character, you mayincrease one ability score by two pointsandanother by one point.
Hobgoblin Features
Darkvision
You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.
Most goblinoids have it, and hobgoblins are no exception. With darkvision, you can see up to 60 feet in darkness, allowing you to see in shades of gray. This can save you a cantrip or the cost of a few torchesand isideal for characters that want to be sneaky.
Fey Ancestry
You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed condition on yourself.
Resistance to being charmed makes hobgoblinsa great choice for martial characterswith low wisdom or charisma scores.
Fey Gift
you may use this trait to take the Help action as a bonus action, and you can do so a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Starting at third level, choose one of the options below each time you take the Help action with this trait:
This is where the magic of reciprocity sets hobgoblins apart from other species. As a hobgoblin,you’ll want to be spending your bonus action as often as possible to help your allies.
Using the help action in combat means being within five feet of the creature you want to help an ally in defeating. This means hobgoblin players shouldconsider melee-based classesabove all others to get the most out of Fey Gift.
Fortune of the Many
If you miss with an attack roll or fail an ability check or a saving throw, you may draw on your bonds of reciprocity to gain a bonus to the roll equal to the number of allies you can see within 30 feet of you (maximum bonus of +3). You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Getting the most out ofFortune of the Many will depend on your adventuring party’s composition. If you’re a team of largely melee-based fighters, then you’ll want your hobgoblin to play close to the front lines. If your team is full of ranged attackers, then you’ll want to hang back with your team to keep getting that bonus to your rolls.
A mixed partyof ranged and melee charactersare easiest for a hobgoblinto fit into since you’ll usually be within at least 30 feet of two or more allies.
Best Hobgoblin Class Choices
As with all species, you’re able to play your hobgoblin as however class you wish. However,you’ll likely get the most out of playing a melee-based combat characterthat doesn’t already have its bonus actions taken in order to maximize the benefit provided by Fey Gift and Fortune of the Many.
Here area few suggested classesfor your Hobgoblin character:
Fighter
Fighters are typically in the thick of the fighting where a hobgoblin can use the help action andreceive the greatest benefit from Fey Gift and Fortune of the Many. They also have few other uses for their bonus action outside of Second Wind.
Except for the Battlemaster, which uses its bonus action frequently for maneuvers. Bestavoid the Battlemaster subclass when playing as a Hobgoblin.
Barbarian
Light fighters, barbarians are great melee characters that have free bonus actions to help out wherever they can, making themideal for both Fey Gift and Fortune of the Many.
Avoid the Path of Berserker subclassas they typically use their bonus actions for additional damage.
Paladin
Paladins sometimes require their bonus actions to channel specific subclass features, but generally,you’ll be able to weave a few help actions into combatto trigger Fey Gift.
Bard
Bards already like giving away their bonus actions to Bardic Inspiration, but when they’re not singing their hearts out,hobgoblin bards can help out in non-musical ways.
Bestchoose a melee-based subclasssuch asCollege of ValororCollege of Swordswhen playing a hobgoblin Bard.
Warlock - Hexblade
Warlocks typically hang back and fling Eldritch Blasts for damage, but theHexbladelikes to mix it up with a cursed sword. That makes them good fits with Hobgoblins who like to be in the thick of the fighting.
